The Dream Is Not Dead
by Blueshade Seraphim
Summary: Byleth has never regretted the path she chose. But somewhere out there, another Byleth feels the same. Trapped in a world she doesn’t understand, Byleth must show just how hard she’s willing to fight for her future.
1. The other path

**(Warning: The following contains spoilers for both Black Eagle routes. Primarily Silver Snow. If you would like to approach the game fresh, go no further.)**

It had been several years now. Who'd have thought? A mercenary turned professor, now the Queen of a fully united Fódlan? Sounds like a tavern tale, and yet that's the shore I had reached after a long voyage through war and politics. Philosophy, right and wrong, actions versus values, all of it weighed heavy on my mind. I was shaping the new history of our country, after all. It was not an easy role to play, nor should be, all things considered. Rebuilding Fódlan after all the destruction of the war, honoring the many who had not made it to this bright new start, friend and foe alike, and trying to shift society into a less corrupt direction. But as always, I wasn't doing it alone. Seteth served as an excellent advisor, to the surprise of none. And Flayn was always out helping the people still affected by the war. Then of course, is the one who helped me settle into this position...

Funny that the one teaching me was the one who assigned me my previous career: my boss, Rhea. Though since the war ended, my relationship to her had changed quite a bit. See, she's my wife now. Even though my interactions with her were mostly professional back in the day, she did become a source of stability and reassurance. Though he would turn in his grave at the idea, her kindness when helping me move past my father's death was no facade. In a world as chaotic and confusing as this, where librarians turn into evil sorcerers, and one of your pupils turns out to be a masked terrorist, you cling to whatever provides you comfort. Especially since I was so inexperienced with emotions back then. Since the unification of Fódlan, she's made a point of atoning for her mistakes, and placing more trust in others. Once things were starting to calm down across the continent, I gradually introduced a suspension of the crest system. Instead judging eligibility for positions of power in those with actual merit. There is of course, the question of royal succession, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. With the true history of the church and the Agarthans, many have voiced skepticism on my choice of a romantic partner, but those concerns soon dissipated as things calmed down over time.

Anyway, I've seen firsthand what awaits a ruler who neglects the needs of their people, so I strive to consider all perspectives. To this day, I still visit Dimitri's grave and lay some flowers along it. But one thing haunted me more than anything. One thing that breathed concern into every royal order I issued. A phantom. A shadow. A nightmarish manifestation of all that could become, if I lose sight of myself. Even as her bones crumpled to dust somewhere in a grave in Enbarr, Edelgard is a haunting presence. Her heart did not crave an end as corrupted and distorted as her upbringing, but her actions reflected that of her tormentors. 'The end justifies the means'. A very dangerous train of thought that just about anyone could believe. It is so easy to sink into that abyss. Rhea herself did. The people deserve better than that. But one night, while sleeping peacefully in my bed with my beloved, I realized what I had to do: if you're poisoned on the battlefield, you apply medicine. And if a concern starts to grow toxic, you must confront it. Whether it was a dream or not, I'm unsure. But for me, it was more real than anything.

My name is Byleth Eisner. And this is my story...

I awoke one morning and rubbed my eyes as always. With the continent in relative peace, sleep was a much appreciated luxury. Only... this was not my bedroom. Nor my bed. All around me, the room was decorated with shades of red, and grays. On top of that, Rhea was nowhere to be seen. Usually she was the first one up, anyway. Chalk it up to Sothis being a part of me. But I'm very certain I would remember taking a nap in a place like this. "...What am I doing here?" Well, if it was any compensation, I still had The Sword of the Creator at my bedside. I hadn't used it for a long time, but Rhea wanted us to hold onto it as a keepsake. I stood up and stretched. "Alright. Surveying my surroundings might be a good idea." I was wearing my royal attire. It was reminiscent of Rhea's old Seiros garb, but had much less flowy bits that would hinder me in combat. A glossy coat of white, with hints of gold here and there, as well as a matching tiara with a dark green jewel in it. After looking around the room, I could see a vast city outside, unlike her castle which was the repurposed monastery, and as such was fairly secluded. The architecture was gothic. Oppressive... _Empiric... _

"Enbarr. Of all the places." I picked up my trusty sword. Whatever I was here for, it would probably help me to have it with me. Was I kidnapped? There was a group of underground rebels in empire territories, but they've been a very small and unsuccessful operation not long after tensions settled down. To say they'd sneak into my castle undetected, and abduct me without waking me up? It's just too big of a stretch. Besides, they'd probably have killed me by now, or at the very least, locked me up. I needed to get my bearings. So I created open the door of this bedroom, and looked out into the halls. Empty, good. Let's keep it that way. I speed-walked out, keeping my eyes and ears on the prowl for anything noteworthy. _(Something is really wrong here) _I thought to myself. I looked around a corner, and was quite surprised to say the least: it was Dorothea! Talking to some soldiers. But to my confusion, their armor suggested they were imperial soldiers. Best not to show myself just yet, I don't have much knowledge on the situation.

"...So keep your eyes peeled. The longer it takes to find her, the more danger we may be in." The soldiers saluted, and walked away. Boy was I relieved, that I chose not to expose myself. Then I heard a voice that sent shivers down my spine... **"The Fell Star is among us... Do not underestimate her." **Before I could stop myself, my lips were already moving. "Thales!?" I covered my mouth and cursed my impulse in my mind, but I knew for a fact Dorothea heard me. I scrambled to try and find a hiding place, but leave it to Edelgard to make these hallways as empty as possible. "Hey! Everyone, she's over here!" This didn't make any sense! Why was Dorothea chasing me!? Why were there imperial soldiers here!? No, none of that matters right now. I need to shake her off. I didn't want to hurt her, but I had to slow her down. I blasted her with magic, but she dodged it. I ducked just in time as she retaliated. "Stop running! This is for your own good!" It wouldn't be long before I had more than her pursuing me, so I had to think of something fast. I groaned under my breath, this wasn't gonna be pretty. "I'll get Manuela to help you later." I then slung my sword's extendable blade at her, leaving a grisly looking slash in her. I winced at the sight, but I didn't have the time to ask questions.

I managed to find my way to the main hall. I panted as I took this moment to catch my breath. "Ugh... Finally, somewhere I've... been before!" I sliced up the roof over the door behind me, causing chunks of it to collapse and block off that entrance. That's not gonna slow them down for long, though. I could hear their muffled voices from the other side. My first priority was getting out of this crazy place, and getting my bearings, pronto. I don't know why my friends are attacking me, but I'm NOT sticking around to find out. I bolted through the door as fast as my legs could carry me, and zipped down the stairs only to be met with another hurdle. It looked like a young girl in a suit of armor, and two demonic beasts at her side. "Halt! In the name of the Adrestian Empire, you will not leave this castle!" I paused, and stared awkwardly at her. "...What are you talking about? Didn't you get the news? The empire died years ago. And for that matter, I don't want to fight someone like you." She then started to blush like crazy from embarrassment. "Are you-!? I may be young, but I'm a proud fighter, just like my brother!" Yeesh. Do I really have to fight an evil version of Flayn?

"Get her!" The two demonic beasts charged at me, full speed, but this girl clearly didn't know who she was dealing with. I took this moment to feel some smugness. "It looks like someone should teach you a lesson. And I have a teaching degree in discipline." I leaped into the air, and slung my sword at one of the beasts, taking special care to aim for the mask. As anticipated, it shattered, dispelling the strength enhancing magic it held within it. I flipped onto its back, and sliced at the other one's side to rile it up. Then as it angrily retailed, I somersaulted over its claws, causing it to impale it's fellow monster. Then I drove my sword straight through the top of its skull to finish it off. Both monsters hit the floor at the same time, crashing to a halt as they dissolved into nothing. The girl looked at me with shrunken pupils of disbelief. "You still have the power of Seiros...! Ugh! That's _so _not fair!" She races towards me with a lance in her grasp, but I swiftly dodged, and kicked her in the stomach to knock the wind out of her. "You use monsters to win your fights. Don't go lecturing me about fairness. Be lucky I'm not assigning extra credit." She crumpled to her knees, clutching her stomach and hissing at me like an angry snake.

While I did enjoy showing off, Caspar and Bernadetta entered the room, once again forcing me to up the tempo. "Where do you think you're going, traitor?" Caspar threatened, sword in hand. Bernadetta raised her bow. "P-please don't make me hurt you, Professor!" She looked more likely to fill me in, but the clock was still ticking. I sprinted into the next room, the exit was down the stairs, guarded by Ferdinand, and a whole battalion of troops. "That's as far as you go. Give it up." He stated, with a serious expression on his face. Is there _anyone _on my side right now? But I can't waste precious minutes fighting him. "Hyaaa!" I grabbed Caspar's arm, as he tried to cut me down to size. Clearly my lesson about not loudly indicating you're attacking didn't stick with him. I swung him over my shoulder and into the assembled crowd of enemies. Some tried to get out of the way, but some were completely bodied by Caspar's human kamikaze. Ferdinand was one of the ones still standing, but before he could do anything about it, I got up closed and blasted him in the chest point blank with magic, sending him spiraling across the floor.

The exit was right there, almost made it! I kicked the door open, and dashed outside only to be met with an unlikely sight: Hubert. And a gang of mages, handling a cart full of explosives. "No, this can't be possible...! You're dead!" Hubert smirked in his usual callous manner. "Set it off, now!" In my rush to escape, I neglected that they might have measures like this to keep me from getting away. My sight was consumed by a fiery explosion as my body rag-dolled straight through the wooden door and the blast ripples through me. When I came to a stop, everything started going black, Hubert's words being the last thing I heard before blacking out. "You're Lady Edelgard's prey. Her flames shall liberate your world..."


	2. Flame quelled

...When I came to, I was all tied up. My sword was taken from me. To make matters worse, I was being stared down by a pair of eyes I hoped I'd never see again. Edelgard. And at her side... Is that... Me!? No, not exactly... Her hair and eyes are my original color. "Ah. You're awake. Good." Surrounding us were a ring of imperial soldiers. "You... How are you still alive...?" I asked, still dazed from the explosion. "Yes. I imagine you're confused. I thought it'd only be proper to atleast let you know what's going on before I release you from your servitude of that false goddess." As my mind cleared up, I was liking this exchange less and less. "I loathe working with him, but the Thales of your world appeared to have one more trick up his sleeve. His spirit was able to reach our timeline, and propose a deal to me." The other me stood idly as she explained it to me. "_'Timeline'... _Are you saying I'm in another world!?" She nodded. Looking me down with her trademark ice cold glance. "Here, you chose to fight for the empire. You broke free of your shackles, you woke up to the reality we live in. And with your help, I've created peace in Fódlan. And I plan to move on to the rest of the world. A world where no one will _ever _need to have their lives destroyed by a crooked system." I scowled at her. "If this world is so perfect, why don't you leave mine alone!?"

She folded her arms. "Heh. So you still refuse to admit your faults. It's embarrassing to think you're the same person as my Byleth. If the Thales of your world was able to try and trick us into fighting you, there's no doubt in my mind ours could do the same with yours, and Rhea would not stop until we're all enslaved once more. Besides..." She looked me dead on, as if to imply she was wiser than me. "Rhea's complete eradication is the only thing that can grant me the peace to move on, I cannot rest in this multiverse knowing that I share it with her." The other Byleth drew her sword, but it didn't glow at all. What had happened to her... erm... me in this timeline? She pinned it to my neck, before speaking. "But you're the biggest potential issue. You are still connected to Sothis, but I am not. So Hubert devised a plan to pull you into our reality so you can be safely apprehended." I narrowed my eyes at her. "After all father taught you, after everything that happened at the academy, _THIS _is how you use your strength? It's not honorable in the slightest to strike down a foe who has no means of defending themselves." Edelgard scoffed. "Honor is meaningless, if it impedes progress. Holding you there will make your end quick and painless, too." The other Byleth raised her sword. "I fight for my El."

"You aren't holding me. I was staying to see how much information I could get out of you." I moved arms to the side as hard as I could, and ended up snapping it. Then I dodged the other me's strike, in just such a way that she broke my other restraint on my arm. After that, I deflected her next attack with my wrist guards, and broke off the restraint on my leg to kick her across the face. Not long after that, I was free, and I took advantage of her stuttered state to knock her down with an elbow charge and take her sword from her. It immediately started glowing in my hand. Edelgard gritted her teeth, as she held out my sword. "Everyone! Seize her! Make her regret doing that!" The other Byleth races to her feet and ran to retrieve the weapon as I was rushed with a horde of enemies. Mages, armored knights, footsoldiers, wyvern riders, while it was a frantic encounter, it was nothing I hadn't seen before. Sent some soldiers flying with my sword, before hijacking a wyvern and sending it crashing into the mages before showering the armored knights in a volley of magic.

**"You idiots! She's swatting you like flies!" **That voice again...! Thales is close by... I can feel it. Edelgard took out her axe, looking resolutely at me with her Byleth. "You've done quite enough, Professor. It ends here." I held my sword tight. "I'm sorry, Edelgard. I failed you. As your teacher, I should've prevented you from becoming this." Her glassy expression did a good job of hiding it, but I could tell my the way she gripped her weapon that my comment had ticked her off. They came at me at the same time, both were potentially dangerous opponents. But my day's training Edelgard gave me an advantage in keeping her at bay, and I hoped I knew enough about this version of me to be able to predict her actions. That's about the moment I realized Edelgard was an armored knight. And that's all I needed to know how to beat her. "Have a taste of your own ash, _'Flame Emperor'._" I pelted her with fire magic, which she blocked with her shield, but it sent her tumbling backwards. I'm amazed she's not already sweating up a storm in that thing, as it is.

I wanted to award myself a fair fight, so I avoided using magic, or my sword's extendability. As I predicted, she wasn't intending to go down easy. As our swords clashed, and we ducked and rolled, our words battled as well. "How can you stand behind a monster like Rhea? It's thanks to her that Fódlan was divided! It's her fault that the crest system was enforced!" Her sword skidded across my armor, and I mentally chuckled at the fact she was still wearing my old armor. Armor that has plenty of weak points that I know from personal experience. "Yes, that much is true. But did you ever consider she did that to prevent the bloodshed of her kin?" As our swords locked, I steered hers towards the incoming Edelgard, having the three of our weapons clang, as sparks flew. This gave me the opening to swerve behind her and slash at her leg's hinge joint. I avoided Edelgard's next attack, and shoved my foot on its handle, getting it stuck in the floor from the momentum. The other me tried to support herself with her sword. "S-so what!? It doesn't matter if she meant well, it's still evil...!" I stuck my sword into her midriff, through the opening near the bottom of her armor. I didn't want to kill her, so much as just stop her. "I could say the same thing about _your _wife. I hope you accept my choice, just as I do yours." I Then disarmed her, and took my sword back. It's not like she was getting back up right now.

Edelgard was steaming now. It was just her and me now. I pointed both my swords at her. "Don't make me kill you a second time, Edelgard. Just send me home, and we can forget this ever happened." She stamped her feet in defiance. "I can only blame myself for failing to stop you in my world, but I will not be humiliated in my utopia!" She ran at me again, but it was futile. I dual-slashed her shield with my twin swords, shattering it into pieces. She groaned, as she continued her stampede, but I bounced her back again and again with repeated strikes of fire magic. "You remember the key rules I taught you? Even in this decrepit timeline, you must know that much." Her armor was getting increasingly hot with each blast, as well as being cracked more and more from the trauma. "Don't toy with me, you pale imitation! I live by those rules! Treat every battle as a chance to learn, and grow from victories and defeats alike. How else do you think I became empress of Fódlan!?" I took my turn to charge at her. "What about the third?" I asked, as I ran with my sword's skidding across the carpet. She raised her axe in defense. "_'Third'?_" With one last strike, I cleaved her axe down to nothing before finishing her off with an impalement through each shoulder. "Not learning from the first two."

She collapsed to the floor, the other me watching in shock as her emperor fell to the floor. Again, I chose not to kill her. I had no intention of wrecking this world's happily ever after, I just wanted to go home. "It's over, Edelgard. Be grateful for what you have, I didn't sink to your level by killing you. I won't ask again for you to send me back." I pinned both my sword's against her neck, as much of a joyride this was, I want my good ending back. But even as the blood gashed from her wounds, and her arms were limp, she had a stubborn resentment burning in her eyes. "Shut UP! You imbecilic slave of the goddess! You incomprehensible model of ignorance! _VERMIN, _i will not be ordered around by the likes of YOU!" The other Byleth tried to get up to reach her, but she couldn't move at all. "El..." My patience was growing thin. But before I could respond, a malformed shadowy blob of blackness emerged. It took the form of a person, but one without any discernible features. The voice though, made it all too clear who it was. **"You want something done right, you have to do it yourself. This is the end for you, Fell Star!" **He then flew over to Edelgard, flying into her eyes, her mouth, her nostrils, like something out of a horror story. I took a few steps back, and watched as the shadows consumed Edelgard, and she grew into a towering monstrosity: Hegemon Edelgard.

My mouth was agape at the horrible sight. Her appearance on the outside now reflected her twisted mind on the inside. Her voice was distorted, and monstrous, like her new form. "I WOULD BURN THIS ENTIRE MULTIVERSE TO CATCH RHEA IN THE FLAME. ALL WHO OPPOSE ME SHALL PERISH." I got into a fighting stance. "Don't count on it, you two!" I ripped away at her, every muscle in my body was going into overdrive. This fell colossus was not going to stop until I stopped it, or die trying. **(The music "The Apex of the World (Rain)" plays) **I narrowly avoided her claws, as they pulverized the wall I was just standing in front of. Injuries were showing up with each strike, but her skin appears to be so thick that it's hard to do any lasting damage with any single attack. "I WILL RAZE YOU FROM EXISTENCE. I MUST." She blasted an orb of dark magic my way, knocking this world's Byleth's sword sky high and completely obliterating the throne in the process. I was fighting for my life, but I wasn't scared. I have an entire world waiting on me! I defeated and saved my beloved! And I was not about to let Edelgard, Thales, or anyone take that away from me.

I playfully smiled. "Oh boy, you really showed that chair who's in charge." I proceeded to slash away at her, dodging her lumbering limbs. "JUST DIE!" I sliced up her leg, bringing her down to one knee, then vaulted up her like a child on a horse. Once near the higher bits, I baited her into trying to slam me with her claws only to driver my sword through her hand, and into her knee! I pulled it back out again and ran up her arm, onto her shoulder, and drove my sword through the side of her head! I hoped that would finish her off, but this woman was tougher than I anticipated. She grabbed me in her huge bony fingers, and started squeezing the life out of me. "IF YOU HAD SIMPLY LET YOURSELF DIE, YOUR DEATH WOULD BE MERCIFUL BUT NOW THAT YOU'VE _REALLY _TICKED ME OFF, IT'S GOING TO BE LONG. AND. PAINFUL." The dark magic from her hands was burning away at me, as I helplessly struggled. But somewhere in my heart, I started feeling... started feeling something weird. She growled at me, but despite the agony I was in, I noticed something puncture her arm: a dagger. A certain blue dagger I always have on hand. Or rather... her.

The other me looked up at Hegemon Edelgard. "You have to stop this, El... Let's just be happy together." Hegemon Edelgard looked at her with cold unfeeling eyes. "...WITH YOU? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH. HOW CAN I LOVE A PLAYTHING OF THE GODDESS? I LOST THE CAPACITY TO DEVELOP SUCH A LEVEL OF ATTRACTION LONG BEFORE I MET YOU." She charged up an orb of dark magic in her other hand, but that feeling inside me was growing stronger and stronger. Some strange warm feeling inside... Like the light of a thousand suns minus the burning. Soon enough, I was being encased in a blinding white light. "WHAT IS THIS?" The next few minutes were a blur, but I think I can piece together what happened. I took a sort of backseat, as my body morphed and grew into a luminous white dragon, with green eyes, and a radiant white glow. Hegemon Edelgard actually looked terrified. "THAT FORM...! IT CAN'T BE!" My mouth and body moved on autopilot, as the voice leaving my throat was not mine, but instead, it belonged to Sothis.

"You Agarthan guys again? Ugh. How stubborn can you be?" Hegemon Edelgard slowly started backing away. "YOU CANNOT STOP ME! NO ONE CAN STOP ME! YOU ARE A FILTHY FALSE GODDESS!" She pelted us with a relentless barrage of attacks, but none managed to even lay a scratch on us. "No, it is _you _who fakes divinity, And you, Edelgard Von Hresvelg. You've let them reduce you to this? You should be glad this timeline exists at all." We started to charge up energy. "It appears simple death is not enough for you, Thales. You should have taken existence in astral form as your last shred of mercy. I will not make that mistake again." She cowered against the wall as our body was overtaken by a green hue. "FILTHY LOWLY BEAST! MINE IS THE ONLY WAY! MINE IS THE FUTURE! MINE IS-!" And just like that, we breathed a pulverizing blast of green flame at her. Reducing Edelgard back to her previous form. But Thales? He wasn't so lucky. Everything went white, except for Thales's black silhouette. And as it was showered by Sothis's divine wrath, his very soul was burnt to dust...

...

I awoke in my bed. My _real _bed. The white paint on the walls, the warm and inviting decor of my bedroom. I never thought I'd feel so relieved to be in it. It was morning. The birds chirping outside. I was in my nightwear, and I saw Rhea looking down at me. "Good morning, my love. Did you rest soundly?" She asked with a smile. "I took a quick look around to confirm I was really seeing what I was seeing. I smiled back, and sat up. "You know I'm always fond of sleeping when you're beside me." Her smile then faded. "I'm actually asking you. You were tossing and turning just now. I didn't wake you up because I know you need your sleep. Is everything alright?" I stood up. "Alright? I feel great! I had a strange dream, but you know? I think Sothis gave me it to help me moving forward." She took my hand. "Heh. You and your sweet talking. Well, if you're ready, why don't we go have some breakfast?" I happily agreed. "Of course." And so the two of us went about our day. To be entirely honest, I don't know if I was being honest when i told her it was just a dream. But it doesn't matter either way. I've let go of Edelgard, and what she stood for. And thanks to that, I can keep dreaming of a Fódlan brighter than the stars. I will dream forever more, until it is a reality.

Byleth Eisner.


End file.
